Navy Seal Survival. Elle James
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you haven’t had the right partner.” He swung her away from him and then pulled her into the curve of his arms, her back against his chest, his lips beside her ear. “Just relax. I’ll do all the work.”
The warmth of Natalia’s hand in his and the way she wore that incredibly sexy blue dress, made Duff’s insides curl and his body heat.
He twirled her beneath his arm and back to face him, his hips moving to the rhythm, his feet keeping the beat, urging her to follow.
The more he moved with her, his hand resting on the small of her back, the more her body relaxed. By the end of the song, she could anticipate his moves as if they’d danced together for years and she fit perfectly against him. Her long legs and lithe, athletic body felt right in his arms.
When the music switched to a slow, sensuous rhythm, Duff pulled her against him.
For a brief moment her body stiffened and then melted against him, her hand resting against his chest. He liked how warm and firm it felt there. Yeah, he could get used to this woman.
“So, what brings you to Cancun?” he asked, his lips so close to her ear he wanted to nibble the pretty earlobe. In her heels, she still wasn’t as tall as he was, but she was close.
His arms around her tightened and Duff leaned his cheek against her hair. “I’m sorry. Was my question too personal?”
She glanced up at him as if realizing for the first time that she was dancing with him. Her brow furrowed. “What was it you asked?”
Her question hit him in the ego. He’d have to make a better impression to keep her attention. “What brings you to Cancun?”
“I’m on holiday,” she said with a smile.
“Alone?” he asked.
“I wasn’t supposed to be, but that is the way of it. My friend’s aunt died and she had to cancel at the last minute to attend the funeral.”
“I’m sorry for her loss.” He pulled Natalia close to his body and swayed to the music, his hips rubbing against hers, causing an instantaneous reaction. His trousers tightened and he wished they were somewhere more private—like his bedroom.
Natalia leaned into him, her fingers curling into his shirt, her nails scraping his chest.
Duff swallowed a groan rising up from his lungs. She was doing crazy things to him without even trying.
Natalia smiled up into his face. “What about you? Why did you come to Cancun?”
“Same. Vacation. Long overdue.”
“Tough job?” she asked.
He snorted. “At times.” He didn’t talk much about his work, except to his Special Boat Team 22 teammates. Most SEAL assignments required top-secret clearance. Information about those operations was only shared with people cleared for that particular mission. He found himself wanting to tell Natalia all about it. But he couldn’t.
The music ended and she stepped away. “Thank you for the dance.” She turned to walk away.
Not wanting the night to end yet, Duff caught her hand. “Will you dance with me again?”
She lifted one shoulder. “Maybe, but for now, I’m going to visit with my new friends.”
And that was it. Natalia walked away, leaving Duff standing in the middle of the dance floor.
She returned to the group of young women and took up a position on the periphery, her gaze scanning the room again and again.
Duff frowned. What was she looking for?
A hand containing a chilled bottle touched his arm. “You look like you could use this.”
Sawyer handed him the cold beer and took a drink of his. “So, what’s the story?”
“What story?” Duff tipped his bottle and drank a long swig of the cool liquid.
“You came, you danced and she walked away. Now she’s dancing with another guy.” Sawyer jerked his head toward Natalia, who was walking toward the dance floor with a different man.
Duff’s jaw tightened. So it wasn’t her new friends she wanted to hang out with. Natalia wanted to dance with another man.
“Did you say something to make her mad?” Sawyer persisted.
“I don’t think so.”
His friend shook his head. “This is a first. I haven’t known a single female to turn down the Duff’s incredible charm.”
“Shut up, Sawyer.”
Sawyer gave him an innocent grin. “Just saying.”
So, Natalia wasn’t interested. He should move on and find another willing female to spend time with. Unfortunately none of them appealed to him like Natalia.
She danced with a couple of different guys before Duff had had enough. He pushed away from the bar and announced to his friends, “I’m hitting the rack.”
“Me, too.” Montana stood, stretched and draped an arm over Duff’s shoulders. “We’re on for scuba at zero-eight-hundred.”
“Should be fun,” Quentin added.
“What’s fun about scuba without blowing something up?” Sawyer asked.
Duff shook his head. “See you guys in the morning.”
Sawyer leaned toward Quentin and Montana and said loud enough for Duff to hear, “He’s just sore about being shot down by the pretty blonde.”
Montana laughed. “Is that it? Duff’s giving up?”
Quentin shook his head. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
Duff left the cabana without waiting for his friends. As he entered the hotel, he glanced back at Natalia, dancing with yet another man.
He shrugged and turned away.
Who needed a female complication, anyway?
* * *
FOCUS ON MELODY.
Natalie smiled and laughed at each of her dance partners’ jokes and acted as if she cared. If someone was after young blonde women, she needed to be seen and considered. Dancing with several men put her out in the middle of view as a single white female. She had to take advantage of it, even though she’d rather be dancing with Duff. For some reason the tough-looking man with a smattering of tattoos across his shoulders and back made her feel more feminine than any other man she’d ever been around.
When she’d been with the SOS, she’d felt as if she’d had to prove herself equal if not better than her male counterparts. Most of the men and the women who worked for Royce Fontaine were prior military, secret service or FBI. Natalie had been working as a boring desk jockey with a natural ability to shoot straight and true every time.
Her love of shooting had come about when she’d moved to Washington, DC, and realized just how dangerous the city could be for a single woman.
She’d gone to the range to learn how to fire the .40-caliber pistol she’d purchased to protect herself. After firing a few times she discovered she was good and had tried other weapons the range had in stock. Soon she was an expert shot with every weapon the range had to offer, and salesmen were asking her to test and demonstrate their new releases. When she wasn’t working, she was at the range.
Natalie had landed the SOS job when she’d run into Fontaine at the range. He’d been there at the request of the salesman. Royce had watched her fire several of the new weapons the salesman had brought along that day. When she’d finished firing, she’d given her feedback and turned to find the SOS boss staring at her with a smile.
That had been the beginning of the job she’d grown to love, utilizing her skill with guns and her love of adventure. She’d